The Drawing Room Reconsidered
by bibliowitch
Summary: What if Lord Franton had plead his case just a bit longer?
1. The Drawing Room

**Disclaimer: A Matter of Magic is property of Patricia C. Wrede, **

**I just like to dabble in her world. **

Lord Franton was waiting for her in the drawing room. He looked up and smiled as she entered. Kim swallowed again, and he must have seen something in her expression for his smile became uncertain at the edges. "Miss Merrill-"

"Mairelon told me-I mean, I know-" Kim's face grew warm and she stuttered to a stop, unable to think of a way to phrase what she wanted to say. She should have just let him speak, instead of trying to refuse him before he'd even begun.

The marquis looked at her. His eyebrows flew up and his expression stiffened slightly. "Am I to understand that you are aware of my intentions, but are not willing to entertain my offer?"

"That's it," Kim said with relief.

There was a pause. "May I inquire as to the reason?"

Kim hesitated, searching for away of expressing her difficulties that would be neither insulting nor wounding. "We'd both end up being miserable. I'm no wife for a gentry cove."

"Is it your background, then?" Lord Franton smiled and shook his head. "That need not worry you. You're a wizard now; what you were before does not matter to me."

"Yes it does," Kim said softly. "Because part of the time you're sorry about it, and part of the time you think it makes me interesting, and part of the time you ignore it. But you never _forget _it." Mairelon was the only Tiff who truly didn't care that she'd been a street thief . . . but she'd best not think of him just now.

"I do not-" Lord Franton cut off his automatic denial before it was well-launched. He considered for a moment, his lips pressed tightly together, then looked at Kim once more. "I think I see what you are getting at," he said with reluctance.

"You never really forget it," Kim repeated. "And I don't think you ever would."

"I could try,"he offered tentatively. "That is, if your sentiments are such that you would reconsider. . ."

Kim stared at her hands; despite everything she and Mairelon had discussed the night before now that that Lord Franton was standing before her the offer was truly tempting. She had known for some time that she could not remain Mairelon's ward forever, and marrying Lord Franton was by far the most comfortable of her options.

Taking advantage of her hesitation Franton took Kim's hands in his. "Perhaps in my desire to make sure I was the first to make you an offer I acted hastily. If you would be so kind, I would beg that you forget that I was so rash as to make you an offer so early in the season when we are so little acquainted. Please allow me to court you Miss Merrill, and let us determine whether I can forget your background and whether you could learn to love me."

Kim swallowed. Could she do it? Could she love Lord Franton? She did not _dis_like him, after all. Looking up at him she nodded. "It's not a promise of marriage," she clarified, "just to try and get to know each other better - to see."

Franton smiled, "of course not. I don't consider us in anyway bound to one another. Although, I do suggest that we revisit the subject at the end of the Season.

Before Kim could answer Mrs. Lowe entered the drawing room. "Lord Franton, it is a pleasure to see you."

The marquis stood and bowed. "And you Mrs. Lowe."

As they seated themselves Mrs. Lowe inquired to Lord Franton's evening plans.

"I am not engaged for the evening, ma'am."

"Then perhaps you would like to join us for dinner. It is informal but we have excellent cook."

"I would be most obliged."

Kim gritted her teeth. The last thing she wanted at that moment was to spend more time in Lord Franton's company. What she wanted most was for him to leave so that she could have a few moments to clear her head and try to understand what she had agreed to; instead she forced a smile and joined the marquis and Mrs. Lowe in making small talk.


	2. The Library

"Kim, a word please?"

Kim froze at the base of the stairs. Having just seen the marquis out she had been hoping to slip up to her room without talking to anyone. Dinner had been an interminable affair with Lady Wendall, Lord Franton and Mrs. Lowe carrying the conversation while Kim struggled to contribute enough to be considered polite. Marielon had eaten in near silence, speaking only when asked a direct question.

Lord Franton had requested an audience with him in the library before dinner, wishing to explain the agreement he and Kim had reached. When the two men had come to escort the ladies to dinner Kim had found herself unable to interpret Mairelon's reaction to the Marquis' news, or whether his subsequent distracted demeanor had been due to it or to the day's other events.

Now he stood in the door to the library, an indecipherable expression on his face, awaiting Kim's reply.

"Sure." She turned away from the stairs and slipped past him into the library.

Marielon closed the doors behind them. "Have a seat," he told her, pouring two glasses of brandy. He handed one glass to Kim then sat down across from her. "Did he threaten you?"

Kim jumped in suprise, "What? Who? Lord Franton? - no."

Mairelon nodded. "He didn't seem the type but I wanted to be sure." He peered at her. "You would tell me?"

"Yes."

"Good, good." He sipped his brandy and watched Maximilian in silence for a few moments, seeming to gather his thoughts.

Kim stared into her own brandy unsure of what to say.

Finally Mairelon broke the silence, "Kim, you are aware that you aren't required to marry. Not Lord Franton or anyone else."

"I suppose."

Mairelon raised his eyebrows, "You suppose?"

Kim sipped her brandy to put off speaking while she tried to find the right words. "I can't - I can't just stay your ward forever," she finally forced out. "And like you said last night - getting married, well, I'd be well established and all that. So I that maybe if I got to know Lord Franton better maybe I'd . . ." she trailed off staring into her brandy once again.

Mairelon set his glass on the library table and leaned forward staring at her intently. "I see. Perhaps there are some things I should make clear.

First, I chose to make you my ward because I wanted to and I certainly didn't do it with the intention of putting you out on the street as soon as you came of age. So, I see no reason you can't remain here as my ward as long as you and I both wish it." He paused and frowned, "Unless you are unhappy? If so I'm sure I could find someone else to take over your guardianship. Mother and Renée are both terribly fond of you. Or -"

"No! That ain't it. It's just the future." Kim's voice was louder than she intended, she just wanted him to stop to not have to hear the wounded undertone to his words.

Mairelon nodded, looking relieved. "Good. That's good." His voice had grown slightly rough. "As I said before you aren't required to get married unless you want to. That wasn't point of having you debut."

"What was, then?" Kim couldn't stop herself from demanding.

Mairelon blinked. "People were being rude to you. I wanted it to be clear to them who you were and how you were to be treated," he answered flatly.

"Oh."

He smiled slightly, almost sadly, at her surprise. "I believe the point I was originally trying to make was that you have years of magical study ahead of you before the College will recognize you as a fully fledged wizard. And you have a home _at least_ that long. As for what will happen then, I have no doubt that you will have many jobs open to you possibly including working for the College or the Ministry. At the very least you could hire out as a tutor to a wealthy family. You most certainly are not without options."

"Oh," Kim repeated. She didn't know quite what else to say. She had always known that being a wizard would be extremely useful but somehow it hadn't quite occurred to her that she could make a respectable career of it.

Before she could gather her thoughts there was a knock at the library door. "Yes, what is it?" Mairelon called.

"An urgent note from the Duchess Delagardie, sir," one of the footmen answered.

Mairelon jumped up and began to hurry towards the door. Suddenly he stopped beside Kim and surprised her by cupping her cheek in his hand. "Just don't do anything you'll regret."

Kim, startled beyond words, managed to nod.

Mairelon smiled at her then was out the door, taking the note from the footman and calling for his mother.


End file.
